I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to backdrops used in photography. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collapsible, portable backlit studio that can be readily transported to a variety of locations, such as schools, for use by photographers.
II. Description of the Prior Art
For many years photographers have used natural and artificial backdrops in their photographic work. In the case of natural backdrops, the photographer brought the subject to be photographed, the camera, supplemental lighting and other ancillary equipment to the location to be used as a backdrop. In the case of artificial backdrops, the photographer would typically set up a permanent studio which incorporated one or more permanent artificial backdrops and the other photographic equipment. The photographer would then invite the subjects to be photographed to come to the studio. This generally works well when only one or a small number or subjects are involved in the photography session. However, it presents an unworkable situation when large groups of people are to be photographed. This is particularly true in the realm of school photography where each student in the school is photographed and then grouped by class for a class picture.
Generally, efforts to use school equipment or facilities have proven to be either unsatisfactory or inefficient. Lighting is always an issue. Also, there is often no entirely suitable backdrop that can be used due to color, state of repair, or the need to use it for instruction of students. Thus, it can be seen that a need exists for an improved backdrop apparatus which overcomes above-identified shortcomings of the prior art.
The present invention provides a portable, backlit studio that can be easily transported from place to place, and used by photographers to capture high quality, aesthetically pleasing photographs of large numbers of individual subjects. The present invention is ideally suited for use in the school, church, or team sport photography industries. Key aspects of the present invention are its transportability and ease of setup.
In view of the foregoing, a first object of the present invention is to provide a portable studio for use by photographers.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a portable studio that is light, easy to carry and can be collapsed to fit into a convenient protective carrying case.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a portable studio that can be easily transported in even the smallest of compact cars.
A fourth object of the invention is to provide a portable studio that is quick and easy to set up.
A fifth object of the invention is to provide such a studio which is made entirely out of captured hardware so parts do not get lost during assembly, disassembly or transport.
A sixth object of the present invention is to provide such a studio that can only be set up one way so that potential errors in assembly are eliminated.
A seventh object of the present invention is to provide a photographic studio which is safe, reliable and can be assembled in relatively small areas such as at the end of a hallway of a school.
An eighth object of the present invention is to provide a portable photographic studio that not only is useful in taking quality pictures, but also helps the photographer convey an image of professionalism, efficiency and skill.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a portable studio that includes a setup mat, a collapsible frame, a backdrop, a softbox, a kneeler, a prop stand, a table and lighting. The setup mat is, in essence, a map showing where to place each of the other items of the portable studio as well as the auxiliary lighting and the camera itself. The frame is compact, lightweight and can be set up in about a minute. No tools are required for assembly. The backdrop attaches to the frame and includes is a high quality foldable (rollable) image that becomes the background for the photographs. The softbox is used to backlight the entire background image. The softbox applies a uniform distribution of light across the entire background image so that high quality portraits can consistently be made. The kneeler, prop stand and table locate the subject within the tolerance of xc2x13 inches of a desired location on the mat in front of the background image and within the depth of field for the camera. All of these components work together to achieve the objects of the present invention.